Rotary engine



June 13, 1939. E ER 2,162,055

ROTARY ENGINE Filed July 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZlO I 9 jhVG/YZO/Z); far/[Bowemmv Cigar/65M Tumeg Alto/megs. I

g may m June 13, 1939. BQWERS ET AL 2,162,055

ROTARY ENGINE Filed July 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 hue/7Com, far/Z. 5014 6/15, 0/20 g/wr/ea/M Tumeg.

Alfie/megs.

Patented June 13, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ROTARY ENGINE Earl E. Bowers, Lebanon, and Charles M. Tumey, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application July 8, 1935, Serial No. 30,236

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of prime movers of either or both the steam or internal combustion types. The primary object of the invention is to provide a power delivering machine 5 of a rotary type whereby the element being operated on by the expanding gases in the nature of a piston may always travel continuously without having to be alternately stopped and started as in the reciprocating type engine. A further important object of the invention is to provide a very simple, efiicient, and durable power unit which, particularly when operated by steam, is easily and readily reversible.

A further important object of our invention is to provide a very simple and positive abutment mechanism in combination with a rotor having a piston-like blade or vane thereon traveling past the abutment. A still further important advantage of the invention lies in the fact that it may be accurately balanced so as to eliminate vibration. Many other advantages such as in the use of particular types of abutments, controls and general structure will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of our invention made in reference to the accompanying drawings which show the invention in a more or less diagrammatic and elementary form, there being but one impulse given to the rotor on each revolution on this elemental form,

it being understood, of course, that the structure may be multiplied to give more than one impulse per revolution.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a form of the invention;

Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section on the line 22 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3, a top plan View;

Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on the line 4--4 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5, a diagrammatic representation of the valve and piping controls.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the various views in the drawings.

We provide a pair of barrels I10 and HI which are drawn against a central dividing plate I12 by means of the end plates I13 and I14 through bolts I15.

A shaft I18 preferably hollow is revolubly carried centrally through the three plates I13, I12 and I14 by means of suitable bearings herein shown as roller bearings I11 and I18, respectively, in the end plates and a ball bearing I19 in the center plate. Within each barrel I10 and HI we mount a rotor I and I 8I respectively in fixed positions on the shaft I16 by any suitable means such as by a shrinking fit or by keys 224 so that each rotor will be free to revolve within its respective barrel. The rotors are provided with external cylindrical faces spaced inwardly from 5 the interior wallof each barrel so as to leave an annular passageway therearound between the respective plates I13, I12 and I14 to define chambers, here shown as rectangular in cross section.

Preferably the sides of the rotors are provided 10 with some suitable packing means, here shown as rings I82 as a means for sealing between the rotors and their respective side plates. Referring now to the rotor I80, a radial slot I83 is provided through the cylindrical portion, Fig. l, and we 15 mount a vane I84 therein to have legs I89 and I88 turned inwardly radially along the inner sides of the plates I13 and I12, respectively. The inner end of each of these legs I80 and I85 carries a roller, here shown as a roller bearing I81 on the side of the leg directed toward the adjacent plate. A cam track I88 is provided on each plate I12 and I13 to receive the bearing I81 revolubly therein. The track I88 extends continuously around the shaft I16 in spaced relation therefrom on each 5 plate.

We provide a stationary blade forming the abutment I89 to extend across the annular passageway between the rotor I80 and barrel I10, Fig. 1, so that the abutment I89 may be in 30 sliding contact with the periphery of the rotor. The cam-tracks I88 are so arranged that the vane I84 is maintained in its extended position as indicated in Fig. 1 wherein its outer edge is in sealing contact with the inner side of the barrel I10 35 as the rotor I80 revolves.

Each of the cam tracks I88 is further arranged to have a portion thereof extending inwardly toward the shaft I16 centering on the radial axis of the abutment I89 so that as the rotor I80 re- 40 volves to carry the vane I84 toward the abutment I89, the rollers in following the tracks I88 will be pulled inwardly toward the shaft and thus retract the vane I84 sufiiciently within the slot I83 to permit the vane I84 to pass under the abut- 5 ment I89 and then be returned outwardly into sealing contact with the barrel I10.

In the same manner a vane I90 is carried by the rotor I8I but preferably in diametrical opposite relation to the vane I84 so that the vane I90 will be normally maintained in sealing contact with the wall of the drum I1I but will be retracted by a depression in the cam tracks I88 carrying the rollers I92 of the vane I90 when the vane I90 approaches the stationary abutment 55 I93 carried across the annular passageway between the barrel HI and its rotor I8I. The vane I90 upon passing the abutment I93 is returned 7 again into sealing contact with the wall of the The chamber 204 opens from its outer end into drum. In the form herein shown, we employ steam as the operating medium. A steam supply pipe I94 enters a timing valve member I95. A drum valve I98 is revolubly carried within the valve member I95 to be revolved by the shaft I16 through the connecting shaft I91. The drum valve I 95 has a central dividing partition I98. The drum valve is further provided with slots I99 and 200, Fig. 4, circumferentially spaced apart. A slotted passageway 20I is provided circumferentially around the inner side of the valve member I95 for a majorpart of the circumference. A short cylindrical portion 202 on the upper part of the inner side of the valve member wall I95 blocks off the upper ends of the passageway 20I and also serves as a closure to the slots I99 and 200 when presented. theretoward.

The slot I99 provides communication from the groove 20I into the drum valve chamber 203 while the slot. 200 provides communication from that groove 20I into the drum chamber 204.

The chamber 203 opens out into an end of the valve member I95 from which leads the pipe 205.

a housing 286 across the end of the valve member I95 from which leads the'pipe 201. The pipes 205 and201 lead respectively into four-way valves 208 and 209. i A common exhaust line 2I0 leads from the valves 208 and 209. These valves 208 and 209 are employed as a means for reversing the direction of rotation of the rotors I and I8I' and thereby the shaft I16.

From one side of the valve 208 is carried a pipe line '2II aroundto communicate with the annular passageway in the barrel I1I, the pipe entering the barrel at a distance around from the upper center line. A pipe line 2I2 also' leads from the valve 208 around to the barrel I1I tocommunicate therewithin on the opposite side of the center line thereof. Likewise a pipe line 2I3 leads from the valve 209 around to communicate with the annular passageway within the barrel I10 on one side of the upper center line and a pipe line 2I4 leads from the'valve 209 into" the barrel I10 on the other side of the center line. In each barrel, the pipe linesenter the barrel on the respective sides of the stationary abutments I89 and I93. The valves 208 and 209 are preferably operated in'unison through a handle 2I5 with a central shaft 2I'6 interconnecting the shifting members within the valves.

In the position of the various parts as shown in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 2, to carry the rotor I80 therewith. In view of the groove 20I, although the drum valve I 98 is being rotated as the rotor I80 turns, steam will continue to flow into the pipe 201 through the drum 'valve until the slot 200 is closed off, by the wall between the upper endsof the slot in the valve member I95. While steam is thus flowing into the pipe 201to force the vane I84 around, an

' exhaust flow is'occurring out the pipe 2 I 3 through the Valve 209 andinto the exhaust line 2I0. 7

Since the portion 202 between the ends of the groove 20I is relatively short as above indicated, the drum valve slot I99 will be turned by" the drum valve I 96 upon a short degree of rotation thereof to permit steam to enter that slot and flow into the pipe 205 through the valve 208 and the pipe 2I2 into the drum I1I so as to fill the space between the stationary abutment I93 and the vane I to tend to force that value I90 on around also in a counterclockwise direction. The exhaust from the drum I1I ahead of the vane I90 flows through the pipe 2, the valve 208 and into the exhaust line 2I0. The motor continues to operate then in this particular direction unless the valves 208 and 209 are shifted to their reverse positions.

In the reverse position, for example, the steam flow from the pipe 201 instead of going into the pipe 2I4 would go into the pipe 2I3 on the other side of the stationary abutment I89 and the exhaust would come from the pipe 2I4 through the valve 209 into the pipe 2I'0. Similarly steam in the pipe 205would flow through'the valve 208 into the line 2I I and the exhaust would come through the pipe 2I2 through the valve 208 and into thepipe H0.

The rear plate I14 may carry any suitable power driven mounting means such as the bell housing 211 whichencloses in the form herein shown a fly wheel 2 I8 mounted on the outer end' of the V shaft I18, this mounting being particularly adapted for automotive use. The motor is supported by some means such as the side brackets 2I9 extending from the plates.

While we have herein shown and described our invention in the best form now known'to us,

it is obvious that structural variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and we, therefore, do not desire to be limited to, that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

cated in a common side of eachbarrel, a vane.

carried by each rotor normally extending across the passageway and cooperating with said abutment todivide the passageway into two chambers, the vane of one rotor being angularly displaced in relation to the other vane, and means on the plates for shifting each of said vanes to permit clearance of said abutment upon relative travel of the vanes and abutments one past the other. 7 V

2. A rotary engine comprising a pair of barrels,

plates at the ends of the barrels, a pair of rotors, one revolubly carried in each barrel to have an annular passageway therearound between the end plates, a common shaft to which eachof said rotors is fixed, a blade forming an abutment in each barrel, said blade extending transversely across the passageway thereinand radially of the rotors, preventing complete flow around the passageway, said abutments being locatedin a common side of each barrel, 2. vane carried by each rotor normally extending across the pasdivide the pass'ageway into two chambers, the vane of 'one rotor being angularly displaced in sageway and cooperating with said abutment to relation to the other vane, and means on the plates for shifting each of said vanes to permit clearance of said abutment upon relative travel of the vanes and abutments one past the other, each of said rotors being provided with a slot therethrough, the vane of the rotor being slidably carried through said slot from the interior of the rotor, said vane shifting means comprising a pair of spaced apart arms extending radially inwardly through the rotor slot, and cam track means on the plates engaging the arms interiorally of the rotor.

3. A rotary engine comprising a rotor, a barrel surrounding the rotor plates at the ends of the rotor, said barrel, said plates and said rotor being formed to define an annular chamber therebetween peripherally around the rotor, a fixed abutment across the chamber, a reciprocable vane carried by the rotor and normally extended from the rotor to form a closure across said chamber, and means in the plates withdrawing the vane within the rotor to permit passing by said abutment, said chamber having an intake port on one side of said abutment and an exhaust port on the other side, a rotary valve outside of the barrel having a central partition forming a compartment at each end of the valve, said valve driven at rotor speed by travel of the rotor, and pipes interconnecting the compartment of said valve with a source of steam and said ports, whereby the single valve admits steam in timed sequence, means for reversing the flow of steam in said pipes independently of said rotary valve, and means for manipulating said reversing means.

4. A rotary engine comprising a pair of barrels,

plates at the ends of the barrels, a pair of rotors, one revolubly carried in each barrel to' have an annular passageway therearound between the end plates, a common shaft to which each of said rotors is fixed, a blade forming an abutment in each barrel, said blade extending transversely across the passageway therein and radially of the rotors, preventing complete flow around the passageway, said abutments being located in a common side of each barrel, a vane carried by each rotor normally extending across the passageway and cooperating with said abutment to divide the passageway into two chambers, the vane of one rotor being angularly displaced in relation to the other vane, and means on the plates for shifting each of said vanes to permit clearance of said abutment upon relative travel of the vanes and abutments one past the other, each of said passageways in the respective barrels having an intake port on one side of its abutment and an exhaust port on the other side, a single rotary valve outside of the barrels having a central partition forming a compartment in each end of the valve, said valve being driven at rotor speed by travel of said shaft, conduits interconnecting said valve with a source of steam, and each of said ports, whereby the single valve admits steam in timed sequence of the 'travel away from and toward the abutments by the respective vanes, and means exteriorly of the barrels and of the valve for reversing steam flows between the valve and said ports independently of said first rotary valve.

EARL E. BOWERS.

CHARLES M. TUMEY. 

